The present invention relates to a pendant comprising a hanging ornamental piece having jewels and the like.
Conventionally, pendants vary in types and shapes. A pendant usually consists of a necklace chain worn round the neck and an ornamental piece mounted with jewels such as diamonds and the like. The pendant is formed to have an annular ring through which a chain is passed or with a chain directly fixed to the ornamental piece at the opposite ends of the chain.
For example, FIG. 24 illustrates a side view of an ornamental piece 112 of a pendant 110 hung from a necklace chain 70 worn round the neck. As shown in FIG. 24, the ornamental piece 112 looks brilliant when the ornamental piece 112 is hung in a generally vertical direction and a jewel such as a diamond mounted on the ornamental piece 112 faces the front.
On the other hand, the applicant of the present invention applied for a patent on the pendant claimed in the Patent Application No. 2001-086471 as a novel type of personal ornament. FIGS. 25 and 26 illustrate a pendant 120 claimed in the Patent Application No. 2001-086471, which is incorporated herein by reference. In the pendant 120 mentioned above, a taper-shaped stable portion 124 is formed on a reverse surface of the pedestal 125 providing a chain-linking portion 123 for threading a pendant chain through at an upper portion and a hanging portion 132 providing a hanging hole 128 at a tip in the front and a curved portion 130 formed behind the ornamental piece.
The hanging hole 128 is a hole for swingingly hanging an ornamental piece 146 mounted with a jewel 144 fixed by a locking ring 142.
With the structure as mentioned above, the ornamental piece 146 can swing back and forth, right and left reacting to even a slight movement. Besides, the jewel 144 ideally reflects the light coming not only from the front but also from the back, thereby shining beautifully.
However, the ornamental piece 112 of a conventional pendant turns up and down while used, which impairs the beauty and usability of the pendant.
FIG. 27 is a schematic drawing illustrating a conventional pendant in the above-mentioned condition while used. FIG. 27(A) illustrates a preferable wearing condition of the pendant 112 hanging from the chain for a necklace 70, in which the entire reverse surface on the pedestal of the ornamental piece is in flat contact with, for example, a front part of a wearer's neck. However, when the skin of the wearer is moist with sweat, for example, on a hot summer day, the pendant 112 sticks to a certain point of the skin and is hindered from moving upward smoothly. Besides, when the necklace chain 70 is pulled upward further in response to the wearer's motion, an upper edge 113 of the pendant 112 is stuck and the pendant 112 is turned up as it is shown in FIG. 27(B).
On the contrary, when the ornamental piece of the pendant 112 sticks to a certain point of the skin and hindered from moving downward smoothly. Accordingly, the necklace chain 70 is slackened and a lower edge 114 of the pendant 112 turns down.